Spot Art 2013 - Chua Shu Ruei

In the recently concluded Singapore Biennale 2013, there was a parallel event called Spot Art 2013.

SPOT ART is a high quality, juried art festival for art students and artists under 30 in Asia that aims to strengthen relationships between artists, art institutions and arts professionals in Southeast Asia. Our event will take root as a dynamic and meaningful event for the art world, as well as for the general public, where young artists can mingle with an international audience of art professionals, art collectors, peers and tourists. SPOT ART is an opportunity not only for artists to be seen and heard, but also for the audience to reflect on their creativity as a sign of our times. It is a time to look and listen to what they are saying, reach out to them as they do to us and offer our support and encouragement as they work tirelessly to enrich and advance our cultural heritage. SPOT ART is a new and innovative addition to the burgeoning art infrastructure in Singapore. 

Congrats to Chua Shu Ruei from ASWARA,  the only Malaysian entry selected under a rigourous process by a 7-person selection committee.

Two of her 'Manusia' series artworks were selected for the exhibition : Orang Boxes 2 and Orang Boxes 3

Orang Boxes 2

Orang Boxes 3

They are print installations that combine extended and alternative printmaking with light boxes. She uses digital print and ready made/industrial prints.

Look familiar? Aren't those orange boxes we see so much during Chinese New Year? Just how does Shu Ruei conceptualise her work?

She credits it mainly to her Fine Art training at ASWARA where they were encouraged to incorporate local traditional heritage culture into contemporary art. "This is as a way to preserve and evolve the significance of traditional culture so that it can continue to be relevant within a contemporary context", Shu Ruei explains.

The Manusia series is her Diploma graduation project at ASWARA. In her final semester, she majored in Printmaking and minored in Sculpture.

We first met Shu Ruei when she accompanied ACG members and Art Malaysia's Editor-in-Chief, Liew Kean Yap on a short visit to her lecturer, Juhari Said's Akal Di-Ulu (studio / home / farm).

She is a soft-spoken and a dedicated artist. Imagine, in her research of our Malaysian Chinese Lion Dance, she followed a local lion dance company (Wan Seng Hang Dragon and Lion Arts) for over 2 and a half years. She frequently visited their workshop to observe their materials and techniques. She also followed and documented them during performances and practice sessions.

And then incorporated this research into the Manusia series which deals with the issues of dehumanisation, identity and self-categorisation.

http://www.shuruei.weebly.com 

ASWARA - Graduation exhibition (visual arts) 2013

From 19 June 2013 to 2nd of July, the graduating class of 2013, Art Dept at Aswara had their graduation exhibition.  Among them were some interesting printmaking artwork, either explicitly print or a mix with other media.

I was invited to view the exhibits by Ms Chuah Shu Ruei, part of the organising committee but was not able to attend. However, she was kind enough to roundup some pretty amazing print works by the graduates for our viewing pleasure.

It's always interesting and inspiring to view works by new, aspiring artists!!

Ean Siew Yieen 

- Majored in Printmaking

Ean Siew Yieen- 'Traditional Life II'- Stencil print, acrylic

- Theme: Lotus

- Ean Siew Yieen perceives the lotus beyond it's usual Buddhistic connotations, and instead explores its role in traditional health foods and medicine.

Aizat Amir bin Ahmad Sanusi 

- Minor in Printmaking

Aizat Amir- 'Saya Budak Baru Belajar'; Mixed media- Silkscreen, oil paint, collage, lacquer

- Theme: Pantun Melayu

- Aizat's installation piece based on the pantun 'Buah Cempedak Diluar Pagar' invites the viewer to reminisce on old school days, and to realize how we are still and always pupils to our everyday environment.

Anith Fatin binti Hafidzi

- Majored in Printmaking

Anith Fatin- 'Songket Bunga Melur (Jasmine)'; Silkscreen printing, glass, Stainkis

- Theme: Songket Motif

- Anith Fatin incorporates songket motifs into her work to rekindle and deepen the viewers awareness and understanding of this traditional craft; it's elegance, history, and     great cultural value.

Muhamad Hazul bin Abu Bakar

- Minor in Printmaking

Hazul Bakar- 'Kill By Money'; Silkscreen printing, Bitumen, ink on canvas

- Theme: Before and After

- This series is based on the Hadith 'Lima Perkara Sebelum Datangnya Lima Perkara' and on the artist's thoughts and observations of contemporary society. His work mulls on a society lost and negligent of their religious duties, and the consequences of this.

Abdul Aziz bin Mohd Suhaimi (Suhaiziz)

- Minor in Printmaking

Suhaiziz- 'Rhythm of Champions' - silkscreen printing

- Theme: Rhythm

- Through his series, Suhaiziz ponders, distorts and explores the world of Wayang Kulit music and instruments.

Chuah Shu Ruei 

- Majored in Printmaking

'Orang Boxes'_ Digital Print, light box, ready made objects

- Theme: Dehumanisation 

- 'Orang Boxes' is a Manglish play of words, where a small typo in 'orange boxes' changes its meaning to 'people boxes'. Mandarin orange boxes are a metaphor for how        assigning identity to ourselves and stereotyping is a way of packaging/objectifying/dehumanising ourselves and each other.